International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences (IJEAS)
ISSN: 2394-3661, Volume-6, Issue-1, January 2019
Design, Fabrication and Simulation of Pyramidal
Horn Antenna at 950MHz frequency
U. C. Gope,S. Rana, N.K. Das

Abstract— In Modern times need for wideband applications
has increased. In recent years there have been many research
works are going on in the design of antenna system as it is the
main source for any communication system. The horn antenna is
widely used in the transmission and reception of RF(Radio
Frequency)microwave signals in areas of wireless
communications, also used in electromagnetic sensing,
nondestructive testing and evaluation, radio frequency heating
and biomedicine. Horn antennas have many advantages such as
they are simple to build, provide very good directional
performance and show excellent peak power handling capability.
Since horn antennas do not have any resonant elements they
operate at wide range of frequencies and have a wide bandwidth.
Moreover, they serve as a universal standard for calibration and
gain measurements of other antennas. This paper highlights the
design and fabrication of a pyramidal horn antenna and
simulate of its parameters using MATLAB. The materials used
for fabrication of proposed horn antenna is steel. The designed
antenna has a gain of 10dB operating at 950MHz. Simulation
and comparison of developed antenna with the available
antenna were done by using MATLAB software.
Index Terms— Aperture, Gain, Pyramidal horn,
S-Parameters, VSWR.
I. INTRODUCTION
Horn antenna is most widely used simplest form of
microwave antenna which comes from the aperture antenna
family. A horn antenna is an antenna which is used to transmit
electromagnetic waves from a waveguide into space or
receive electromagnetic waves through waveguide. It may
also be considered as the impedance matching device between
the waveguide feeder and free space. These type of antenna
consists of a waveguide at one end and a conical or pyramidal
horn at another end [1].There are various types of Horn
Antenna e.g. pyramidal Horn Antenna, Conical Horn Antenna
and Sectoral Horn Antenna. Among these, the designers
prefer to Pyramidal Horn Antenna because of its light weight,
simplicity in its design, high directivity, large bandwidth and
less return loss, low VSWR(Voltage Standing Wave Ratio)
and for its good results[2].These antenna can be designed in
variety of shapes and sizes to fulfill many practical
applications and can be used as feed element for other
antennas such as reflectors, compound and lens antennas[3].
These Antennas are used at ultrahigh frequencies above
300MHz and as high as 140GHz [1].Depending on the
application, e.g. satellite communication, radar, radio
astronomy, feed element of Parabolic and Dish antenna etc,
these antennas are designed so that the desired result is
obtained. Here the operating frequency and gain are important
factor for designing. In order to achieve high gain, the horn
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antenna should have large aperture[3]. On the other hand,
aperture size depends on operating frequency and directivity
depends on gain. The directivity is one of the parameters that
is often used as a figure of merit to describe the performance
of an antenna. To find directivity, the maximum radiation is
formed. The first horn antenna was constructed by an Indian
radio researcher and one of the father of radio science
Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858-1937), in the year
1897(Biswa,2017).
Many researches are going on in the design of antenna system
as it is the main source for any communication system,
especially on horn antenna because of its extensive
application. The horn is nothing more than a hollow pipe of
different cross sections, which has been tapered (flared) to a
large opening[3] It is fabricated by flaring a hollow pipe of
rectangular or square cross section to a larger Opening in
which the walls of the rectangular wave guide are flared out in
both e-plane and h-plane directions. Here, we designed a
pyramidal horn antenna considering both H-plane and
E-plane with frequency 950MHz assuming the gain as 10dB.
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
The design of pyramidal horn includes design of
waveguide,aperture, radiating elements and flared angle.
After determining all parameters and designing all
components the antenna was fabricated and then test in the
laboratory.Finally, simulation was carried out by using
MATLAB.
III. PROPOSED ANTENNA DESIGN
Hollow conducting tube used to transfer electromagnetic
power efficiently from one point in space to another is known
as waveguide[4]. There are different types of guiding
structures e.g. typical coaxial cable, the two-wire and
microstrip transmission lines, hollow conducting waveguides
(rectangular & cylindrical), and optical fiber. The choice of
structure depends on desired operating frequency band,
amount of power to be transferred, andthe amount of
transmission losses that can be tolerated. Among waveguide
types, rectangular waveguides are used to transfer large
amounts of microwave power at ultra-high frequencies.
A. Waveguide Design
The fields within the horn can be expressed in terms of
Pyramidal TE(Traverse electric)and TM(Traverse magnetic)
wave functions[2]. Radio waves can propagate in many
different modes in a rectangular waveguide. For our purpose,
the dominant mode of transverse electromagnetic propagation
is selected. The TE10 mode has the lowest attenuation of all
modes in a rectangular waveguide and its electric field is
vertically polarized. In order to design the dimension of the
 Design, Fabrication and Simulation of Pyramidal Horn Antenna at 950MHz frequency

waveguide, we must calculate the cut-off frequency for the (where,Aem = maximum effective aperture,
dominant mode of propagation. For 950 MHz wave to Ap= physical area of the horn aperture and is the
propagate inside the waveguide, the cutoff frequency must be
aperture efficiency)
lower than the mode of propagation.
Since overall efficiency of a horn antenna is about 50%, then
Only TMmn and TEmnmode support the single conductor wave
guide (e.g. rectangular waveguide). We know that, the cutoff gain
frequency
(Placing
(fc)mn=
the value of A and B)
The mode having the minimum value of m & n for which the
cutoff frequency will be lowest is known as the dominant
mode of the waveguide.
Hence, the TE10 mode is the dominant mode of a rectangular
wave guide with a>b. Because the TE10 mode has the lowest
attenuation ( ) of all mode in a rectangular wave

guide.
Operating frequency f =950MHz
Operating wavelength λ =31.6cm
Waveguide cutoff frequency fc =850 MHz
Waveguide cutoff wavelength,

Fig-3: Different view of Horn antenna

In order to make a pyramidal horn physically realizable le2and

Fig-1: waveguide dimension
lh2 must be equal.

Width of waveguide, 2

Height of waveguide, b=8 cm.

……………………………………. (1)
B. Aperture Design
Where, =χ……………………………………. (2)

And ……………………………………. (3)

From previous, we know that a=18cm, b=8cm and G=10
By solving the eqn (1) using the iterative technique, we get
the value of is, χ=0.5224
Fig-2a :
Now from eqn (2), we get, le=χλ =0.5224*31.6 =16.5 cm
E-plane view Fig-2b: H-plane view
And from eqn (3), we get

We know, Gain G(dB)=10 log10G =101 =10 (Assuming So, from the E-plane view,
G=10) We get, )2
To physically construct a pyramidal horn the dimension le2
by solving this equation, le1 = 9.84 cm
will be, Similarly, from H-plane view
This should be equal to the dimension lh2,
]1/2
by solving this equation,we get lh1=14.37cm
For the optimum directivity, and Aperture side,

Now gain

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 International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences (IJEAS)
ISSN: 2394-3661, Volume-6, Issue-1, January 2019
And side, E-plane Flared 53o
Pyramidal Horn Angle,
H- plane, lh 24.3
H-plane, lh1 14.37
Determination of Flared Angle H-plane, lh2 8
H-plane Flared 53o
Angle,

and Radiating Length, d 8

Element
Since the value of le2 and lh2 are equal, so it can be concluded Distance from back 17.5
that the design parameters that are selected for antenna are side of wave guide, l
correct at gain 10dB.
Flared angle, in the E-plane
IV. FABRICATION
view,
This section include cutting, bending and joining of all the
And in the H-plane materials together. The materials used for developing the
antenna is steel which was collected from local market.
view, Waveguide section of the horn antenna is a simple rectangular
tube and the flange or horn section has otherwise the same
The gain of this designed horn is, geometry, but it is tapered linearly. For maximizing the
electrical performance of antenna, the sides of bend and
waveguide were bended first and then welded with
So, this derived parameter agrees closely with the designed longitudinal welds. Sheet metal is shaped by cutting using
value of 10dB. CNC cutting tool. After that holes, openings and threads were
machined. Sheet metal parts then bent to their geometry
C. Design of Radiating Element according to required angles and bending radius. Spring back
effect and allowed minimum bending radius must be
considered. After performing all this, bent sheets were joined
together by welding. Either laser, TIG or even MIG welding
could be used. However, due to accuracy requirements only
TIG-welding were used here as they give reasonable sound.

Fig-4: E-plane view with radiating element

D. Designed Antenna Dimension:

The guide wavelength,

Distance of the radiating element from the back side of the

waveguide is,

And the length of the radiating element is,

The total length of the Waveguide part will be,L=0.75λg=
0.75*70=52.5cm.

Section Description Dimension(cm)

Width, a 18
Waveguide Height, b 8
Length, L 52.5
Aperture Side, A 38.2
Side, B 25.64
E-plane, le 16.5
E-plane, le1 9.84
Fig-5: Stages of sheet metal processing of horn antenna
E-plane, le2 8

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 Design, Fabrication and Simulation of Pyramidal Horn Antenna at 950MHz frequency

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION VI. COMPARISON OF RADIATION PATTERN BETWEEN

DESIGNED HORN ANTENNA AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF LAB
Here, a pyramidal horn antenna was designed first by ANTENNA
computer aided design and the radiation pattern was analyzed Loop Antenna:
both in practically in lab at the department of EEE,
Chittagong University of Engineering and
Technologywhereas simulation was conducted by using
MATLAB. The designed antenna was also compared with
available lab antenna.

A. Radiation Pattern:
B.

Fig-8:Radiation Pattern of Loop Antenna

Figure 6: Radiation pattern of designed Horn Antena Straight dipole antenna:

Fig 7: MATLAB Simulation result of designed Horn Antenna

Fig. 6 shows the radiation pattern of design antenna

whereas Fig 7 indicates the simulated result of radiation
which was done by MATLAB. From the above two figures we
can see that, the radiation pattern found from our designed
antenna by labdata and simulation by MATLAB is quite
similar except side lobe and back lobe. Figure 9:Radiation pattern of straight dipole antenna

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 International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences (IJEAS)
ISSN: 2394-3661, Volume-6, Issue-1, January 2019
Yagi-Yuda Antenna:
Figure10: Radiation pattern of Yagi-Yuda Antenna
Folded Dipole antenna
Figure 11: Radiation pattern of Folded Dipole Antenna
VII. DISCUSSION
The simulation results, Directivity as 18dB, Half Power Beam
Width 260 and front to back ratio is 12 dBi and low cross
polarization. By comparing the radiation pattern of horn
antenna to the other antennait can be concluded that, the horn
antenna combines several ideal characteristics such aslarge
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bandwidth, high directivity, high front-to-back ratio than the
other antenna. Its side lobe and back lobe are so minimal
compared to another antenna. As a result of experimental
studies, it is evident that signal integrity be intercepted or
transmitted depend on the design considerations of the
pyramidal horn antenna. These antennas can be enhanced
using dielectric lens, good conductive materials and ridges.
They are used significantly where directivity of signal is of
main concern.
VIII. CONCLUSION
At either ends of microwave communication system where
horn antennas are employed, it is essential that while deciding
on the intended frequency of operation, one need to define
critical parameters upon which such design would be
predicated such as the cut – off frequency, hence the
bandwidth of the horn antenna, the physical length
dimensions, the dipole distance and depth and the hood size.
For any decent design, good judgements on these parameters
are extremely essential to the realization of any sound horn
antenna with a decent beam pattern.
In this research a coaxially fed standard gain horn antenna for
the frequency range of 850-950MHz has been designed and
during theresearch also two practical test samples were
manufactured. In this paper, aspects of design for
manufacture and assembly have been appliedto the design and
also the possibilities to utilize cross-technologicalapproach
method have been examined with successful results. Methods
for calculating the required antenna dimensions have
beenpresented. Some aspects of selectingsuitable aluminum
alloy for laser processing have been discussed.
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